Key Advice:

  1. Do your research: Look for advice from others who have sent students to college and review our website for Elon specific information.
  2. Call us for advice: Call your student’s neighborhood office to ask for their input and advice on how you can best support your student as they navigate whatever situation arises.
  3. Let your student lead: Give your student the advice and information you’ve collected, but let them lead and advocate for themselves. This is part of their learning journey!

Dear Parents and Families,

An Elon education is preparation for a lifetime of leadership, service, and global engagement. Residence Life considers parents and family members important partners in the education and development of our students. We have a common goal of ensuring our students are intellectually engaged and socially adjusted. Some of our most common discussions with parents and families deal with roommate concerns, facility issues, and social adjustment. There will be bumps along the way, but rest assured that Elon has competent and caring faculty, professionals and other students who serve as mentors to ease the transition no matter where your student is in their Elon journey.

We support and challenge our students as they become:

  • adults who are responsible for their own academic and social decisions
  • responsible and thoughtful citizens
  • problem-solvers
  • lifelong learners

In our very important partnership with you, we ask that you support Residence Life and the University by reinforcing these ideals. We know that many students will continue to count on their families for advice and encouragement during the college years, and we value and respect your relationship.

Thank you in advance for continuing to encourage your student to work with us directly to seek solutions to the challenges that may arise during the course of their time with us. We look forward to working with your student in the development of their intellectual and academic achievement and personal growth.

 

Sincerely,

Kirsten Carrier
Assistant Dean of Campus Life and Director of Residence Life

What to do when your student contacts you about a problem

It is inevitable that your student will contact you with a problem. When they do, remember to breathe, reflect, then coach. We hope we can work together to help nurture your student’s independence and development of problem-solving skills.

Breathe

It can be stressful when your student calls you with a problem and your first instinct will likely be to want to solve the problem for them. Take a moment to listen and ask questions.

Reflect

Consider if this is something your student could solve on their own with a little coaching. If you fix the problem for them, does that help them grow into their independence? Ask your student questions to help them work through the situation. What do they want to do? What options are they considering? Help them explore resources at Elon that might help them. Keep breathing.

Coach

Once they make the decision or find a path to move forward, encourage them, support them, and help them reflect on the process and outcomes. What might they have learned from this that they can carry forward? What might they have done differently? The main role of being a coach is to guide, provide advice and observe from the sidelines as your student plays in the game. Cheer them on from the sideline!